FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT PLANTERS - PAGE 5

A possible plan for refurbishing Municipal Stadium described Tuesday includes a plaza at the entrance and a new - but old-fashioned - scoreboard. John Budesky, Hagerstown's director of administrative services, said the improvements would cost $40,000 to $50,000. About $11,000 to $12,000 of that would pay for relocating an electrical substation, he said. The plan Budesky showed the City Council Tuesday called for a ticket booth and a customer service area to be moved and a wrought-iron fence to run around a plaza with planters and benches.

scottb@herald-mail.com The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday expressed support for a proposal to move a downtown Hagerstown bus stop from its present location near Public Square. John Budesky, director of administrative services, presented to the council two locations where a bus stop could be located on city-owned property off West Washington Street. The sites are in a city parking lot across Washington Street from Elizabeth Court near the Tusing Warehouse. The Washington County Commissioners would have to approve the site, Budesky said.

Suggestions sought on street name HAGERSTOWN -- The City of Hagerstown is asking the public to help choose a new name for a road near the downtown Arts & Entertainment District parking deck. The road, now called Cramer Alley, runs parallel to Potomac Street. A section near the parking deck, south of East Washington Street, is scheduled to be widened to a two-way street, according to a city map and memo. On Tuesday, City Engineer Rodney Tissue told the council the origin of the name hasn't been found.

By VANDANA SINHA Staff Writer The summer drought has taken a toll on spring seedlings and young trees, according to local planters and foresters. They say fledgling trees are more susceptible to drought-related damage because their roots do not stretch into the groundwater. Jernigan Landscaping Owner Troy Jernigan, of Hagerstown, said he lost about 25 percent of the seedlings he planted early this year. Some nurseries said homeowners who correctly watered newly planted trees have tended to have better results.

Official wants instant messaging system CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Jefferson County Commission member Rusty Morgan said Thursday he would like to set up a system where local residents can receive regular updates about county government. Morgan said he thinks some sort of "instant messaging" system which people would subscribe to would be a beneficial way for residents to be informed about county government. The system could use e-mails or some other way of communication to inform people about the county's schedule of events, Morgan said.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Franklin County Judge Douglas W. Herman on Wednesday sentenced a Mercersburg, Pa., woman to five years on probation for stealing thousands of dollars worth of lawn ornaments and furniture. "There's a substantial amount of property taken," Herman said looking over the restitution list for Melissa Ann Helm, 29, of 14566 Buchanan Trail West, Apt. 1. Lawn ornaments, outdoor furniture, planters, flower pots, wreaths, statues and other items on the list had a combined value of more than $3,000, Herman said.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- The Waynesboro Borough Council has greatly trimmed a plan to plant trees in the public Rotary parking lot. Landscaping design that went before the council Wednesday was hacked from 35 trees and 142 shrubs to "up to eight trees. " The council said it could later add trees in concrete planters. Councilman Ronnie Martin praised the full redesign plan for the parking lot but said the cost had escalated beyond council's means. "It's beautiful. I'd love to see it, but we don't have the money," Martin said.

Three sketches for skate park viewed WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Washington Township officials have received three sketches for a new skate park at Pine Hill Regional Recreation Area off Mentzer Gap Road. An anonymous donor contributed more than $100,000 to the skate park being designed by Artifex of California, according to published reports. Area youths already shared ideas for the park and will be invited back to review the sketches at a meeting tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 21 at 7 p.m. The first design, at 52 feet by 80 feet, has a three-sided pyramid with kinked rail and stairs; bank ramp or quarter pipe; curved concrete ledge; and bowl/quarter pipe transitional obstacle.

By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer Lowe's new $12 million superstore will open Wednesday morning across Wesel Boulevard from the current store, which was to close its doors Monday night, company officials said. Neither store will be open for business today, to give workers a chance to transfer customer files from the old store at 1501 Wesel Blvd. to the new store at 1500 Wesel Blvd., said spokeswoman Cinny Haynes. Lowe's will hold grand opening festivities at the new store from Thursday through Sunday.